Combined cotton chopper and cultivator.



Patented Nov. 25,1902.

l L. A. MILLER. corasmeo coTToN cHoPPl-:R AND cuLTlvToH.

(A ppiicaeion med July e. 1902.)l

' (No Modl.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEVIS A. MILLER, OF LAKE CITY, FLORIDA.

COMBINED COTTON CHOPPER AND CULTIVATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 714,505, datedNovember 25, 1902.

Application filed July 9, 1902. Serial lim 114,951. (No model.)

.To @ZZ whom, it may concern.:

Be it knownthat I, LEWIS A. MILLER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lake City, in the county of Columbia and State of Florida,have invented a new and useful Cornbined Cotton Chopper and Cultivator;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to whichitappertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to a combined cotton chopper and cultivator; andit has for its object to provide a simple and comparatively inexpensivecotton-chopper capable of automatically operating a chopper-blade forthinning out cotton-plants and for forming the hills at regularintervals and adapted to cultivate the soil simultaneously.

A further object of the invention is to provide a combined cultivatorand cotton-chopper of this character in which the movable chopper-bladewill be also capable of operation by hand.

The invention consists in the construction and novel arrangements ofparts hereinafter described and shown,and particularly pointed out inthe claimshereto appended.

In the drawings Vforming part of this specification, and in which likenumerals of reference designate corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a sideelevation of a combined cultivator and cotton-chopper constructed inaccordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the same. Fig.3 is a longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectionalview.

Referring toV the drawings, 1 designates a frame composed of a centralbeam 2 and side pieces 3, having converging front portions secured tothe central beam 2 at a point between the ends thereof, and thev saidside pieces 3 are connected at their rear ends by a cross-piece 4. Thefront end of the central or draft beam is provided with a suitableclevis, to which is connected a whittletree 5 for the attachment of adraft-animal or draftanimals. A plowstandard 6 composed of two sides issecured to the frame at the front end of the side pieces thereof, thesides of the standard embracing' the side pieces of the y A plow 7 issecured to the standard 6 in the usual manner. The frame is alsoprovided with suitable cultivator-blades 8 and 9, having shanks 10 and11, composed of sides which are suitably secured to the side pieces ofthe frame, one of the cultivat'or-blades being located at the back ofthe frame and the other being arranged slightly in advance of the rearof the cultivator-blade.

Secured to the rear end of the central beam isa depending arm 12, towhich is pivoted a shank 13 of a transversely-disposed cottonchopper`blade 14, which extends laterally from one side of the frame and whichis capable of vertical oscillation to raise and lower it, whereby thecotton-plants are thinned out and the hills are left at regularintervals. The blade 14 is supported in its operative position by anapproximately L-shapedbracket l5, having a forwardly-extending arm atits bottom arranged beneath the shank 13 of the blade 14. The shank 13of the blade 14 is connected by a link 16 with a lever 17, located atthe inner face of one of the sides of the frame and fulcrumed betweenits ends by a suitable pivot 18 on the said side. The link 16 isconnected with the front end of the lever 17, which has its rear portiondeflected and arranged to be engaged by a series of tappets 19 of awheel 20. The wheel 20 is mounted on an axle 21 and is provided with aseries of annular perforations adapted to receive the tappets 21. Thetappets 21 may be secured in the perforations 22 in. any suitablemanner, and they are detachable and are adapted to be arranged at thedesired intervals to secure the desired operation of the oscillatoryblade 14. As the cotton chopper and cultivator moves forward the wheelrotates and the tappets are carried into engagement with the lever whichoscillates the chopper-blade. In order to enable the chopper-blade to becontrolled by hand, a lever v23 is provided. This operating-lever 23 isfulcrumed between its ends on one side of the frame and is arranged atan inclination, its upper end being located adjacent to the handle-bars24 and its lower end being provided with an inwardly-extending arm 25.The arm 25 is located beneath the front arm of the lever 17 and isadapted to engage and lift the same, whereby the blade 14 is raised. Bythis construction the blade 14 may be IOO controlled by hand and may beheld clear of the ground when desired.

What I claim isl. The combination of a frame, a wheel, a transverseblade, pivoted at its inner end and extending laterally from the frame,a lever connected with the blade, means operated by the wheel foractuating the lever, and means for raising the blade by hand and forholding the same elevated, substantially as described.

2. The combination ol a frame, a blade located beyond and extendinglaterally from the frame and capable of upward and downward movement, awheel, means operated by the wheel for raising and lowering the blade,and a hand-operated lever for raising the blade and `for holding thesame elevated, substantially as described.

3. The combination of a frame provided with a bracket, a blade pivotallyconnected at its inner end with the frame extending laterally therefromand arranged to be supported by the bracket, a lever fulcrumed on theframe and connected with the blade, a wheel provided with means foroscillating the lever, and a hand-operated lever, for engaging the saidlever for raising the blade 5. A combined cotton chopper and cnltivatorcomprising a frame, a plow arranged at the front of the frame,cultivator-blades arranged at the back of the frame, a movable bladeextending laterally from the frame and located beyond the same and meansfor raising and lowering the blades automatically and for raising theblade and for holding the same elevated by hand independent of automaticmeans, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereto affixed my signature in the presenceof two witnesses.

LEWIS A. MILLER.

Witnesses:

R. T. BoozER, T. l-I. HOOVER.

